This application relates to a woodworking apparatus and particularly to a multiple station woodworking apparatus including sequential tool stations each having a stack of tools for forming a plurality of surface configurations.
In automated woodworking machines for forming and shaping the coutour and configuration of a wood member, a substantial plurality of individual woodworking tools are mounted in predetermined positioning in spaced relation along a work conveying unit. Each of the many tools is accurately positioned for working on the wood member as it passes the tool. The work is carried by an appropriate transport or conveyor unit sequentially past the tools. In various applications using the individual tools spaced along the work path, in excess of 50 different tool axii at the work stations may be necessary for properly locating the individual tools and thereby creating defined shaping and forming of the various surfaces and edges of the wood product during a single cycle through the machine. Various tools are inventoried and mounted at each station in order to produce various profiles. Thus, cabinetry panels, doors, windows and the like are typical elements which are processed through relatively high speed woodworking and shaping machines. A particularly satisfactory position control system for positioning of tools in woodworking apparatus is disclosed in woodworking apparatus is shown in the copending application of Bruce Rosenthal entitled "Multiple Head Woodworking Apparatus With Automated Head Positioning Apparatus" and assigned to the same assignee as this application and invention.
The woodworking apparatus of the prior are in addition to using individual tools at longitudinal spaced locations has suggested mounting a plurality or stack of complete profile tools on a single spindle at one station. A position setting unit position one of the tools into operative alignment for working of the edge face of a work member or part. Each tool is this constructed in accordance with conventional practice to form a one complete profile cut which particularly is related to and forms the total profile configuration, and a separate profile tool is designed for each particular profile cut. For each given line of part profiles, the individual tools are mounted to the machine in appropriate relation and through a position control establish the necessary cut in the wood member. The machine is set up with different tools to change the profiles and a run of those profiles is made.
As a practical matter to set up the machine for a line production, the manufacturer has thus historically used the plurality of individual profile tools to permit the tooling for the different profiles. The sequential stations are set up with the plurality of individual tools on different axis to form a profile or the stack of complete profile tools are mounted in a tool stack. The system of stacked tools minimizes the down time required for tool change but the total number of tools required is increased which may create a significant increase in tool costs.
With present day technology, manufacturers either use the single tool stations with the necessary frequent tool changes, or the series of stacked tools with a large number of different complete tools for completing a particular profile. A manufacturer, for example, which required 53 different profiles need 35 tools on a series of machine stations in order to minimize or avoid tool changes.
A tool at any given station in a conventional stacked system may cost anywhere from $1,000.00 to $2,000.00 per set. To provide complete tooling for a conventional stacked machine may require tooling cost in the neighborhood of $70,000.00 to $100,000.00.
In the mass production of a line of standard work products, a great inventory of tools is often required. In addition, each particular product requires retooling of the machine. The retooling with the necessary accurate positioning is both time consuming and costly. Further, the retooling which requires human intervention is accompanied with the possibility of human error in the initial set up of the machine.